Machine for finishing and paving ditches



April 6 1926. y

F. E. GREENE MACHINE FOR FINISHING AND PAVING BITCHES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed August 23, 1924 ON. .wn

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' /gofn ya Apil 6 1926.

E. E. GREENE .MACHINE FOR FINISHING AND PAVING BITCHES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed August 25 I 1924 um. i...

April 6 1926.

F. E. GREENE MACHINE FOR FINISHING AND PAVING BITCHES Filed August 23 l 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 fnaehzor. E 59nd y l tor/79g;

N .mwN WWE ON Y F. E. GREENE MACHINE FOR FINISHING AND PAVING DITCHES April 6 1926.

Filed August 23l 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Iena n OM,

Patented Apr. 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES FRED E. GREENE, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

MACHINE FOR FINISHING ANI) PAVING BITCHES.

Application led August 23, 1924. Serial No. 733,856.

To all whom t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED E. GREENE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, county of Alameda, and State of California, have invented -new and useful Improvements in Machines for Finishing and Paving Ditches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mechanism for finish grading a ditch and thereafter lining the same with a coat-ing of substantially water-proof material for preventing the seepage of water therethrough. The primary 'object of the invention is to provide a machine for performing these functions with facility.

It is known that certain soils are not well adapted to hold water, and a considerable portion of the water carried in ditches through such soi`.s is lost through seepage. This is particularly true in dry, sandy soils, where irrigation becomes necessary, and where water is not exceedingly plentiful, this seepage 4amounts to a considerable loss.

" Such loss may be prevented by lining or paving the surface of these ditches with a substantially water-proof material, such as asphalt or concrete. It is an object of my invention to provide a continuously operating machine adapted to straddle such a ditch and finish grade and line the same as the machine passes thercalong.

lVith the above and other objects in View, my invention consists in the features of construction and operation set forth in the following specitication and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In such drawings, annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification, I havey shown certain specific mechanism, but it will be understood that my invention is not to be defined and limited thereby, but the invention can be modified 'within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the figures of the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a general plan view of my machine;

Fi Q is a side elevation thereof on a larger scale, parts of the frame being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the front end of the machine which carries the endless Scrapers hereinafter described;

Fig. at is an elevation thereof;

' Fig. 5 is a plan view of the intermediate portion of the machine which carries the finishing scraper hereinafter described;

Fig. 6 is an elevation thereof;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on line 8-8` of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a transverse section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a detail view taken on line 10- 10 of Fig. 7;

Fig. l1 is a detail view taken on line 11- 11 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a detail view cfa portion of the driving mechanism hereinafter described.

Fig. 13 is an e`evation of the rolling mechanism carried by the rear end of the frame.

My present'invention does not deal with the original forming of the ditch, such original or rough forming of the ditch being accomplished by well-known power scraping methods. Header-boards or tracks are thereafter provided along the two edges o1 the ditch, and in operation my machine is run at a low speed along these tracks. The

mechanism, preferab`;y in the form of endless Scrapers, is provided on the forward eed of the machine for finish grading the sloping portions of the ditch and removing the eX- cess soil. A second mechanism, preferably in the form of a scraping blade under control of an operator, follows the endless Scrapers and finish grades the entire surface of the ditch. After the passage of this mechanism, a. third mechanism on the rear of the machine rolls the surface of the ditch to compress the same to a smooth, uniform level. Power means is provided for moving the machine along the ditch, and it should be understood that this is preferably a slow, continuous movement, and that the grading operation is performed and completed at onepassage of the machine along the ditch.

After the ditch has been graded and rolled, as above described, the same machine. is again passed along the ditch to pave the same. In this operation the paving material in its plastic form is poured into the ditch in advance of the machine. When the machine advances on this material the second scraping'mechanism above described operates to spread the material evenly over thesurfac'e comprises an elongated frame 1, adapted to be suspended over and extend along the ditch 2. The frame may be supported and reinforced in any manner desired. I have illustrate-d the frame as supported on apair of wheels 3 at its forward end and on a tractor 4 at its rear end. The wheels and tractor run on a pair of header-boards or tracks 5 at the edges of the ditch, and the entire machine is adapted to be moved Continuously along the tracks by the tractor. Track cleaners 6 provided on the frame keep the tracks clean ahead of the wheels and tractor.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, three operating mechanisms, A, B, and C, are mounted on the frame 1. Mechanism A includes a pair of endless Scrapers (Fig. 4) for operating on thc sloping portions of the ditch and removing the excess soil, upon the rst passage of the vmachine along the ditch and for carrying and distributing the paving material over the sloping sides of the ditch upon the second passage of the machine along the ditch. Mechanism B includes a blade scraper (Fig. 6) for finish grading the entire surface of the ditch upon the first passage ofthe machine therealong and l,for evenly distributing and levelling the paving material over such surface upon the second passage of the machine along the ditch. Mechanism C includes a roller (Fig. 13) for compressing the graded surface to a smooth uniform llevel upon the first passage of the machine and'for compressing and forming the soft paving material into a smooth uniform layer'upon the second p-assage of the machine. These three mechanisms will now be described in detail.

The mechanism A is shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing. A p air of supports 7 and 7 are pivotally mounted on shafts 8 and` 8 respectively, at the opposite edges of the frame 1. An endless carrier 9 having a plurality of scraping elements 10 thereon, passes around each support and over a sprocket wheel 1l on the shaft 8. The shafts 8 and 8 are respectively driven from shafts 12 and 12.through chains 13 and 13. The shafts 12 and 12 are driven from a motor 14 through Worm gearing 15 and gears 16.

The supports'7 and 7 extend downward into the ditch as shown in Fig. 4 and may be adjusted vertically about the shafts 8 and 8 by the following mechanism: Toothed racks 17 and 17', secured to the supports, are in mesh with pinions 18 and 18. The shafts on which these pinions are mounted are connected by a sprocket chainv19. The pinous can be rotated and the supports adjusted ver tically by means of a handle 20 connected thereto through gearing 21 and a worm and worm gear 22.

The mechanism B is shown particularly in Figs. 5 to 12, inclusive. A carriage 23 is movably supported on the frame 1 by rollers 24. The carriage has a downwardly extending portion 25, within which is supported for vertical adjustment a frame 2G, including a guiding track 27. This track extends transversely of the frame l, and is of' the general shape it is desired to-.form the surface of the ditch transversely.

The frame 26 is supported for vertical adjustment on the carriage by means of four screws 28. rlhese screws are connected to the frame and supported by rotating nuts on the carriage. A motor 29 on the carriage has a worm connected with a worm wheel 30 carrying a sprocket wheel 31. An endless chain 32 extends about the sprocket wheel 31, and sprocket wheels 33 connected to the screw-supporting nuts. The frame 26 can, therefore, be adjusted vertically by operating the motor 29.

The. carriage `23 carries a second motor 34 having a worm and worm wheel connection 35 with a shaft 36, Pinions 37 and 37 on the ends of this shaft are in toothed engagement with rack teeth 38 and 38 on the frame 1. rlhe carriage can therefore be moved along the frame 1 by operating the motor 34.

A scraper, including a blade 39 mounted on a carrier 49, is carried by vrollers 41 on the track 27 (Fig. 8). A pair of endless chains 42 and 43 extend along the length of the track, and over sprocket wheels 44 and 45 on a shaft 46. The chain 42 is connected to chain 42 (Figs. 7 and 12).

The chain 43 rides over two idlers, 48 and 49, and around a sprocket 50 fast on a shaft 51. A sprocket 52 on the other end of shaft 51 is connected Aby a chain toa sprocket on a shaft 53 having a worm 54 thereon in mesh with worm gear teeth on a ring 55. This ring 55 carries the blade 39 and is rotatable on a vertical axis in the carrier 40. The construction is such that when bothy chains 42 and 43 are operated by the shaft46, the carrier 40 is moved along the track 27 Without any rotary movement being imparted to the ring However, when the chain 42 is stationary and the chain 43 is operated, the ring is ro-l tated through the connections described.

The shaft 46 is driven by a motor 56 on the carriage 23 connected to the shaft by a tworm and worm wheel 57. The sprocket 45, overl which the chain 43 rides, is fast on the shaft 46. The sprocket 44, over' which the chain 42 rides, is loose on thc shaft 46, and can be clutched thereto by 'a clutch 58 on one side of the sprocket 44. A

brake band 59 is provided on the opposite side of this sprocket. The clutch and brake band are connected, respectively, to arms 6() and 61 carried by the carriage 23, and splined to a rod 62 extending along the frame 1. The rod is connected at one end to a controlling lever 63 on the frame 1 (Fig. 2), The construction is such that movement of the lever in one direction disengages the clutch and applies the brake, and movement thereof in the opposite d1- rection disengages the brake and engages the clutch. The two chains 42 and 43 can, therefore, be operated simultaneously to move the carriage without rotating the vblade-holding ring 55, or the vchain 42 can be stopped and the chain 43 operated to adjust the angular' position of the blade 39.

The mechanism C is shown in Figs. l, 2 and 13. Adjacent its rear end, the frame 1 carries downwardly extending portions 64, within which is supported for vert-ical adjustment a frame 65, including a guiding .track 66,. extending transversely 4of the frame 1. This track with its supporting and adjusting mechanism is similar to the track 27 above described, and its shape longitudinally 'conforms' to the shape it is desired to form the surface of the ditch transversely. A roller 67 is mounted in. this -track in substantially the same manner in which the scraper 39 is mounted (.Fig. 8). An endless chain 68 extends along the track and is connected to the roller and operatively connected `to a motor 69 carried by the frame 65. The motor canbe operated in either direction to draw the roller along the track 'in either direction.

The frame is supported by four screws 70 in substantially the same manner as the frame 26 is vsupported (Fig. 6). These screws are supported by rotating nuts on 'the frame 1. A motorv 71 on the frame 1 has a worm and worm wheel connection 71 with a sprocket wheel 7 3. An endless chain water controlling gates and other obstacles` offering obstruction to the passage of the mechanisms A, 1B and C. Then operating on such ditchesl the mechanism A can be raised to a clearing position by means of the racks and pinions 1718. Mechanisms B and C can also be raised to a clearing poi28ifron1 the frame 1, (Fig. 2) and pivoting the fran'les 64- and 26 upwardly about their pivoted support on the left-hand screws 7() and 28.

The entire macchine is preferably controlled from one position thereon, and, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, this position is preferably at the'forward end ofthe machine. A platform 76 is provided adjacent to the endless scraper 7. A seat .77 is provided for the operator on this platform, andthe several controls for the various mechanisms are arranged around this seats. The motors 14, 29, 34, 56, 69 and 71 are adapted to be controlled by controls 78, 79, 80, 81, 82 and 83, respectively. The clutch and brake controlling lever 63 extends upwardly through the platform adjacent tothe seat, and adjacent to the lever 63 is a lever 84 for controlling the movements of the tractor 4.

It is believed that t-he construction, operation, Aand advantages of my machine will be lapparent without further description thereof. Very briefly, the operation is as follows: l

The ditch being previously formed in the rough, my machine straddles the ditch and is moved continuously therealongunder the power of the tractor 4 in the direction of the arrow (Figs. l and The endless Scrapers shown in Fig. .4 and at A in Fig. 2 finish grade the sloping portion of the ditch and remove the excess soil. The

scrapingblade 39 (Fig. 6) shown at B, next operates on the ditch to finish grade the entire surface thereof. The motor 56 operates to move this blade alongA the track 27 transversely of the ditch and to change the angular position of the blade when desired. The motor 34 operates to move the blade and its carriage longitudinally of the ditch. The mechanism C, including the roller 67, thereafter rolls the graded surface to a smooth uniform level.

The ditch now being properly graded and again run therealong to pave the same. In this operation the paving material in its plastic form is poured into the ditch considerably-in advance of the machine. Uien the machine advances on this material the endless Scrapers at A are elevated to clear the material and are left in inoperative position. The scraping blade 39 of the mechanism B is adjusted the proper distance above the grade line and operates on the material't-o uniformly level andspread the The mechanism C thereafter rolls and packs the paving material to form a smooth uniform layer 85.- This operation is illustrated in Fig. 2. The paving material is preferably asphalt and when using such material the roller 67 is preferably heated rolled to a uniform level, the machine is to provide a smoother paving surface. This heating is accomplished by an oil burner provided with fuel from a tank 86. (Fig. 13).

lIt may be desired to use the machine on ditches varying in width. In the accompanyingI drawings, I have shown in a general manner how this can be accomplished. It will be noted, as illustrated 1n Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 13, that the midportlons of the transversely extending parts of the frame l and of the supports for the mechanisms A, B and C are removably secured to the. various parts of the frame-work of the machine by bolts and plates. These midportions can be removed, and when the parts are reassembled without such portions, the machine, being narrower, isadapted to operate on a narrower ditch. .The transversely extending shaft 36 is also provided with a detachable central portion 36a, which can be removed to adapt the machine to a narrower ditch. It should be understood that I have herein illustrated only one such adjustment, and that further and finer adjustments may be provided for, if desired.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A ditch grading machine comprising the combination of an elongated frame adapted to'rbe suspended over and extend along a ditch, supporting means at the sides of the frame adapted to be supported on and travel along the edges of the ditch, power means for moving the frame along the ditch, a pair of endless travelling Scrapers mounted respectively on the sides of the frame and extending transversely of and downwardly into the ditch and adapted to scrape the sloping surfaces thereof, and means for adjusting the angular position of the Scrapers vertically relative to the frame.

2. A ditch grading machine,V comprising the combination of an elongated frame adapted to be suspended over and extend alongfa ditch, a pair of supports pivotalf lymounted respectively on the sides of the frame and extending transversely into the ditch, an endless carrier having a plurality of Scrapers thereon on each support, a rotary element at the pivotal center of each support for driving the carrier, and means for adjusting the supports vertically about' the said pivots.

3. A ditch grading machine comprising the combination of an elongated frame adapted to be suspended over and extend along a ditch, supporting means for the frame adapted to rest on the edges of the ditch, a carriage mounted to travel on the frame longitudinally thereof and extend downwardly into the ditch, a scraper carried on the lower portion of the carriage, means for adjusting the scraper vertically,

and means for moving the scraper in both directions transversely of the ditch and for causing the scraper to traverse a pre-determined path conforming to the shape 1t 1s desired to impart to the surface of the ditch transversely.

4. A ditch grading machine comprising the .combination of an elongated frame adapted to be suspended over and extend along a ditch, supporting means for the frame adapted to rest on the edges of the ditch, a carriage mounted to travel on the frame longitudinally thereof and extend downwardly into the ditch, a track carried by the lower portion of the carriage, extending transversely of the ditch and of the 4general shape it is desired to form the surface of the ditch transversely, a scraper carried by the track, means for moving the scraper along the track in both directions, and means for adjusting the scraper verticall 5. A ditch grading machine comprising the combination of an elongated frame adapted to be suspended over and extend along a ditch, supporting means for the frame adapted to rest on the edges of the ditch, a carriage mounted to travel on the frame longitudnally thereof and extend downwardly into the ditch, a track carried by the lower portion of the carriage, extending transversely of the ditch and of the general shape it is desired to form the surface of the ditch transversely, a vertically extending scraping blade carried by the track, means for moving the blade along th@ track in both directions, means for changing the angular position of the blade, and means for adj usting the blade vertically.

6. A ditch grading machine comprising the combination of an elongated frame adapted to be suspended over and extend along a ditch, supporting means for the frame adapted to rest on the edges of the ditch, a carriage mounted to travel on the frame longitudinally thereof and extend downwardly into the ditch, a scraper carried on the lower portion of the carriage, means for adjusting the'scraper vertically, means for moving the scraper transversely of the ditch and for causing the scaper to traverse a pre-determined path conforming to the shape it is desired to impart to the surface of the ditch transversely, and power means under the control of the operator for performing the carriage moving and both said sera er moving o erations.

7. A ditch grading machine comprising the combination of an elongated frame adapted to be suspended over and extend along a ditch, supporting means for the frame adapted to rest on the edges of the ditch, a carriage mounted to travel on the frame longitudinally thereof and extend downwardly into the ditch, a track carried by the lower Vportion of the carriage, extending transversely of the ditch and of the general shape it is desired to form the surface of the ditch transversely, a scraper carried by the track, means for adjusting the scraper vertically, and power-operated means, in- 'cluding an endless chain, for moving the scraper along the track in both directions and for changing the angle of thescraper.

8. A ditch grading machine 'comprising the combination of an elongated frame adapted to be suspended over and extend along a ditch, supporting means for the frame adapted to rest on the edges of the ditch, a carriage mounted to travel on the fra-me longitudinally thereof and extend downwardly into the ditch, a track carried by the lower portion of the carriage, extending transversely of the ditch and of the general shape it is desired to form the surface of the ditch transversely, a scraper carried by the track, means for adjusting the scraper vertically, a pair of endless chains extending along the track, one chain being connected to the scraper to move the same along the track, and the other chain being connected to the scraper to change the operating angle thereof.

9. A ditch grading and lining machine comprising the combination of an elongated frame adapted tol be suspended over and extend along the ditch, supporting means for the .frame adapted to rest on the edges of the ditch, mechanism mounted on the frame and carrying power-operated means for engaging t-he surface of the ditch to grade the same, a support spaced from the said mechanism, carried by the frame and extending downwardly into the ditch, a roller carried by the support, means for adjusting the roller vertically, and power-operated means for rolling and guiding the roller over the surface of the ditch. r

10. A ditch grading and lining machine comprising the combination of an elongated frame adaptedl to be suspended over and extend along the ditch, supporting means for the frame adapted to rest on the edges of the ditch, mechanism mounted on the frame and carrying power-operated means for engaging the surface of the ditch to grade the same, a support spaced from the said mechanism, carried by the frame and extending downwardly into the ditch, a track carried by the lower portion of the carriage, extending transversely of the ditch and of the general shape it is desired to form the surface of the ditch transversely, a roller carried by the track, and means for moving the roller along the track.

11. A ditch grading and lining machine comprising the combination of an elongated frame adapted to be suspended over and extend along the ditch, supporting means for the frame adapted to rest on the edges of the ditch, mechanism mounted on the yframe and carrying power-operatedl means for engaging the surface of the ditch to grade the same, a support spaced from the said mechanism carried by the frame and extending downwardly into the ditch, a track carried by the lower portion of the carriage, extending transversely of the ditch and of the general shape it is desired to form thc surface of the ditch transversely, a roller carried by the track, means for moving the roller along the track, and power means under the control of an operator for operating the roller and for adjusting the roller vertically.

12. A ditch grading and lining machine comprising the combination of an elongated frame adapted to be suspended over and extend along a ditch, supporting means for the frame, adapted to rest on the edges of the ditch. a. carriage mounted to travel on the frame longitudinally thereof and extending downwardly into the ditch, a scraper carried by the carriage, means for moving the scraper over the surface of the ditch to grade the same and for adjusting the scraper vertically, a support carried by the frame and extending downwardly into the ditch,

' a roller carried by the support, means for adjusting the roller vertically, and poweroperated means for rolling and guiding the roller over the surface of the ditch.

13. .A ditch grading and lining machine comprisingl the combination of an elongated frame adapted to be suspended over and eX- tend along the'ditch, supporting means for the frame adapted to rest on the edges of the ditch, mechanism mounted on the frame and carrying power-operated means for engaging the surface ofthe ditch to grade the same, a support spaced from the said mechanism, carried by the frame and extendin downwardly into the ditch, a roller carrie by the support, means for adjusting the roller vertically, power-operated means for rolling and guiding the roller overl the surface of the ditch, and means whereby the width of the frame can be adjustedto allow for ditches varying in width.

14. A ditch grading and lining machine comprising the combination of an elongated frame adapted to be suspended over and extend along the ditch, supporting means for the frame adapted to rest on the edges of the ditch, power means for moving the frame along the ditch, mechanism mounted on the frame and carrying means for engaging the surface of the ditch to grade the same, a

Vsupport spaced from the said mechanism,

operating the grading means and roller. 13

15; A ditch grading and lining machine comprising the combination of an elongated frame adapted to be suspended over and eX- tend along the ditch, supporting means for the frame adapted to rest on the edges of the ditch, power means for moving the frame along the ditch7 a pair of endless traveling Scrapers mounted respectively on the sides otl the frame and extending transvers'ely into the ditch and adapted to scrape the sloping surfaces ther-ect', a carriage mounted `to travel on the frame longitudinally thereof and cX- tending downwardly into the ditch, a scraper carried on the lower portion of the carriage, means for adjusting the scraper vertically, means for moving the scraper in both directions transversely of the ditch and for causing the scraper to traverse a predetermined path conforming to the shape it is desired to impart to the surface of the ditch transversely, a support spaced from the said mechanism, carried by the :trame and extending downwardly into the ditch, a roller carried by the support7 means for adjusting the roller vertically, and poweroperated means for rolling 'and guiding the roller over the surface of the ditch.

16. A ditch grading and lining machine comprising the combination of an elongated frame adapted to be suspended over and extend along the ditch, supporting means forthe frame adapted to rest on the edges of the ditch, mechanism mounted on the frame and carrying power-operated means lor engaging the surface of the ditch to grade the same, and power-operated mechanism carried by the frame for compressing and smoothing the graded surface, the said mechanisms being adapted upon a second passage'of the machine over the ditch to operate upon a paving material therein to evenly distribute and form the same into a smooth uniform compressed layer over the graded surface.

17. A ditch grading and lining machine comprising the combination of an elongated frame adapted to be suspended over and eX- tend along the ditch, supporting means for the frame adapted to rest on the edges of the ditchymechanism mounted on the frame and carrying power-operated means for engaging the surface of the ditch to grade the same, and power-operated mechanism carried by the frame and including a roller for compressing and smoothing the graded surface, the said mechanisms being adapted upon a second passage of the machine over the ditch to operate upon a paving material therein to evenly distribute and roll the same into a smooth uniform compressed layer over the graded surface.

FRED GREEXF.. 

